Misery Loves Its Company
by FeathersxScales
Summary: Falco x Leon   There's living in the past.  And there's forgetting the past ever existed.  Who's to say which is worse?  Who's to say which is better?  'We are destined to fail...'
1. Misery Loves

The title of the story is taken from The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus' song "Misery Loves Its Company" - which I do not own in any way. None of the lyrics that are used throughout the story belong to me in any way, either.

I also do not own Star Fox.

An idea for a story like this one has been in my head for a really long time, and I've been trying to get it into words. I was writing and writing, and I finally got the basis of an idea when I actually began to lose my inspiration. That is... Until a friend of mine - EchidnaGirl - contacted me. I had asked her earlier if she would be interested in helping me write this, and due to some of the material, she opted out. However, just a few days ago, she shared with me a story about one of her good friends. He's going through a really tough time right now, trying to deal with a part of his identity that's not completely accepted by the world. I was really touched by her story, and she said that he really opened her eyes. She changed her mind and decided that she'd very much like to help me with this story, on the condition that we dedicate it to her friend. So, this is a story written by both EchidnaGirl and myself. Dedicated, and written in support, to her good friend (for these purposes) Alexander.

**Misery Loves Its Company**

**Chapter One: Misery Loves...**

"We were lucky to make it out of that alive..."

Wolf didn't look up from the controls on his fighter as he growled, "Luck had nothing to do with it."

Panther shook his head. "Do you think they know that we're still alive?"

The great canine fumbled with a few switches, but he paused at the question. With his single eye, he looked out into the empty blackness of space. And then he frowned, resting his hand on a lever. "They know."

"Wouldn't it be much simpler to go after them, then? It isn't as if they don't know where to find us. After all, they did nearly total Sargasso..." Panther was cut off.

"We're not going back to Sargasso!" Unintentionally, Wolf hit the controls, making his Wolfen lurch forward a few feet, violently. He scowled at his own mistake, pulling the brake, then turning his head to look over at Leon's fighter. "Leon?"

_"Are you sure? Won't we get in trouble?"_

_"Only if they catch us. Come on, Leon, live a little."_

_"It's illegal for us to drop. We just learned how to fly..."_

_"And do you want to fly for the Cornerian air force? Is that how you want to live your life? Come on, you're the one always talking about being different! So let's be different."_

The chameleon was sitting in the cockpit of his own plane, staring blankly and emotionlessly into the air in front of him. Upon hearing his name, Leon's left eye swiveled in the direction of the Wolfen. "Hmmm?"

Wolf stared at Leon for a moment, recognizing the blankness on the chameleon's face to be a sign of serious consideration. "Something on your mind?"

_"I'll figure it out, don't worry. Are you sure this is what you want? I thought you hated to be different..."_

_"But you don't. Besides, that's another reason to leave here. They always treat me like I'm some great pilot, you know? But I don't want to be a commander or a general. I want to fit in, but it's like they just won't let me."_

_"...Sometimes it's not bad to be unique...special..."_

_"What?"_

_"Nothing. I'll figure it all out. Be ready then, Falco."_

_"Always am."  
_

"No. Nothing." The response was instant. Automatic.

Wolf knew better than to push Leon to talk. Sometimes the lizard was an open book, but when he wanted to hide something, there was no hope of finding it out. So, Wolf just nodded. "Alright. Let's go." He turned his head back to check on Panther, and, at seeing that both of his co-pilots were ready, he pushed the ship into full throttle.

Leon waited for Panther's ship to disappear after Wolf's. When the second ship had vanished from sight, Leon shifted the gears on his plane's controls and followed after his two teammates. He had no trouble catching up with them, and, for a moment, he regretted all of his years of flying experience... Because flying was almost a sixth sense to him. And that meant that it took very little effort from his brain to pilot the plane. So, the rest of his mind was free to roam.

But it wouldn't roam...

_"Excuse me, Commander_..."

_"What? -Oh, Leon. It's you. Where's your friend? I never see you alone..."_

_"Falco's in class, sir."_

_"Good boy. He has a lot of potential, that kid..."_

_"What time is curfew?"_

_"You don't know that by now, son?"_

_"I just wanted to make sure..."_

_"Eight o' clock. And don't break it, alright? Run along, now. I've got some important business to attend to."_

_"Of course. Thank you."  
_

"Dare I ask where we're going?" Panther's voice drawled over the radio.

One of Leon's eyes glanced over to his co-pilot's ship, and he answered plainly, "Not if you don't want to know the answer."

"Fair enough... Why, though, is it so imperative that we stay away from Star Fox, now?"

Leon frowned at the question. He, personally, wouldn't have minded sticking around Star Fox for a bit longer... Not that he was fond of the team, per se... But Falco had become quite fun to annoy. Leon's frown shifted to a slight grin.

Wolf listened to the silence on the radio for a few moments, but the second that Leon's sharp, somewhat disturbing laughter started, he decided it best to answer Panther's questions, "We're heading toward Sector Z. And in case you haven't forgotten, Star Fox is too close to the Cornerian government. If we give Corneria half the chance, they'll have us locked up for good. Or worse."

Panther nodded, trying his best to ignore the maniacal laughter still raging on Leon's side of the channel before responding, "Very well. But why Sector Z?"

Wolf sighed. "We're getting new ships."

Leon's laughter faded at Wolf's words, and he shrieked, excitedly, "New ships!"

"When were you planning on telling us about this, Wolf?"

"When we got there."

Leon focused both of his eyes on the space in front of him, a childlike anticipation stamped across his face. It was hard to believe that the chameleon would be turning thirty within the next few months. Something about his personality always retained a youthful innocence... But with the widespread crimes across Lylat that bore Leon's name, it was really no wonder that very little would make the Cornerians happier than to see the spry, spontaneous lizard dead.

"How'd ya do it, Peppy?"

The old, grey hare looked up, mildly surprised to hear the voice. He smiled lightly before asking, "You want to talk to a 'crazy, old fool' like me, Falco?"

Falco shrugged, taking a seat across the table before responding, "Hey, what'd you expect, old man? Since you and Fox decided to leave me outta whatever plan you had. I thought you were really gone."

Peppy shook his head. "There wasn't really a plan. Just a hunch. And Fox managed to catch on. When the Queen was destroyed, all those creatures that the aparoids had taken over were freed."

"Uh-huh..." Falco tapped his fingers on the glass table, watching their movement carefully.

"Something on your mind, Falco?"

"Nah. Nothing." The avian continued to stare at his fingers for a few moments, but then he looked up at Peppy. "Hey, I think I'm gonna take the Arwing out for one last spin."

"Falco, the new ships are coming in the morning."

"Yeah, I know. Which is why I'm takin' the ship. It'll be my last chance."

"Falco..."

"It's pilot stuff, Pep. I've been flying it for a long time. It's just one more flight... Sentimental reasons."

Peppy adjusted his glasses, shaking his head in disapproval. "It's already very late..." He knew from his own experience that switching ships wasn't always easy for a pilot. Or, at least, it wasn't always easy for a _normal_ pilot. But if there was one thing he'd learned in the time Falco had joined Star Fox, it was that the brightly-feathered avian was far from normal. Falco was the sort to relish the idea of having a new pair of wings to fly, not to become "sentimental" over an old pair. "Are you sure there isn't more to it than just 'one more flight'?"

"Appreciate the concern," Falco said as he stood up, "but I'll be fine."

"Falco, I'm retiring. The next time Star Fox goes out on a mission, I won't be there. You're a great pilot, and you know you're Fox's best friend. You've got to be there for him." Peppy was wary already, knowing full well of Falco's tendencies to suddenly take off somewhere and not return for a long time. It had hardly been a year since the avian had rejoined the team.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Hope your golden years of retirement are great an' all." Falco headed toward the door.

Peppy frowned, but Falco seemed to be impervious to guilt. "Where are you planning on going?"

"Can't say."

"When should I tell Fox you'll be back?"

"I don't know. Whenever I get back."

"Falco."

At the door, Falco paused, looking back over his shoulder at Peppy. "I follow where the sky takes me. It's been good working with you, old man. But I've got to figure some things out. See ya around." With that, the door opened, and Falco walked outside.

There was a moment of uncertainty for Peppy, then. Upstairs, probably asleep, was Fox, in one of the rooms that General Pepper had reserved for the team's use since the Great Fox had been destroyed. Fox would want to be informed of Falco's leaving as soon as possible and would likely try to stop him from going... But then Peppy also knew that Falco was _many_ things - but one of those things was not a bad friend.

"Peppy?"

The hare turned his head to see a lavender-blue vixen standing by the staircase, and he nodded in greeting. "Ah, Krystal."

"I couldn't sleep. There was a feeling of oppression in the air..."

"Falco's just gone out." He stood up. "I'm on my way to tell Fox."

"Falco left?"

"Yes. He said that he's 'got to figure some things out'." There was a pause. "He's been acting strangely since we got back from the aparoid homeworld."

"I noticed..." Krystal looked in the direction of the door. "Perhaps I should try talking to him."

Peppy stood up carefully. "Maybe you should. I'll go wake Fox up. You try catching up with Falco."

Krystal nodded, running for the door, and Peppy continued upstairs. At the first door, Peppy stopped and raised his hand to knock. He then stood back and waited for Fox to answer the door. Behind the door was the sound of movement, the rustling of sheets, footsteps on the floor. Then Fox was standing in the doorway, looking alert despite his frazzled hair.

"Peppy?" Fox blinked. "Are you okay?"

"Sorry to wake you, Fox. Falco's just left. Krystal went after him to try and stop him, but..."

"Falco left?"

"He's been in one of his bad moods, you know... I think something's really bothering him."

"Yeah, I noticed, too... I just thought it was about everything that happened at the end, though. I thought he might be mad that he didn't figure out that you weren't really dead and all, Peppy."

"He did ask me about that, but I think it must be something else. And Krystal described the feeling she had in the air as 'oppression'."

"Krystal felt it?" Fox took a step past Peppy before breaking into a dash down the stairs. For Krystal to be able to read feelings in others, it required her to be close to the subject. Either that, or the subject's feelings actually had to be very strong. And since Krystal had been no closer to Falco than anyone else had been, that meant that Falco's strange mood swing must have been a lot worse than Fox had originally thought.

_'It's true, we are... We are destined to fail.'_


	2. Trust Me

The song "Trust Me" by The Fray does not belong to me in any way. And none of its lyrics belong to me, either.

**Chapter Two: Trust Me**

_'Looking for something that I've never seen...'_

"This is costing a lot of the budget, and with Sargasso under close watch, we're not going to be able to afford more ships for a while. But these ships far outrank anything Star Fox can afford..."

"It's beautiful!" Leon practically attached himself to the wing of one of three brand-new planes standing in the small asteroid's shipyard. All three of the planes were of different models, but they all held the red and grey color scheme of Star Wolf ships. The one that Leon had designated as "beautiful" was the smallest model in relation to the size of its body, with large, downward-swept wings.

Wolf tried to remain solemn, but he couldn't help but stare at his own new plane. It was built just like his beloved Wolfen, but it was much newer and was built to harness far greater power.

Panther liked the new model of his own ship as well. It was the largest of the three models, and the speed wasn't too great, so he needn't worry about losing control. In fact, the ship was virtually perfect for him. But it was the reason behind getting the new fighters that he still wasn't sure he understood. Wolf was obviously thinking again of Star Fox. "I still don't get why you won't simply admit that you admire Fox. There is no shame in emotion, Wolf."

Immediately, Wolf snarled and flexed his claws, spinning on his heel to face Panther. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"My, a bit defensive, aren't we?"

"He's always like that," Leon remarked, not once looking away from his "beautiful" ship. "I think it could be beyond his biological ordinance to show emotion."

Panther glanced at the lizard. "You aren't in much of a position to talk, Leon. You are just as bad as he is."

Wolf, seizing the chance to direct the conversation away from himself, managed a laugh. "Leon's not emotionless. You saw the way he killed that guy who stepped on that flower back on Corneria..."

"That flower was **pretty**!"

Wolf shook his head, looking back to his new Wolfen. "Come on. Let's go." He moved forward, climbing into the cockpit easily and running his hands along the controls.

Leon and Panther both boarded their ships, as well. Leon took immediate interest in a series of colorful buttons along the edge of the dashboard. "What do these buttons do?"

Wolf glanced over at the green lizard, shrugging. "I don't have them..." He paused, starting the engine of the plane, and shifting it into gear. "You'll just have to experiment to find out..." Not a moment after the words left his mouth did he regret saying them. And, as if on cue, a sudden burst of light shot through the air, only inches in front of his ship. The beam of light blasted upward, hitting a nearby asteroid and destroying it on impact. Cautiously, Wolf and Panther both turned to look at their co-pilot.

Leon was sitting there, frozen in place, for a moment, finger still on top of the bright blue button. Then he broke into an overjoyed fit. "I... love this plane!"

Wolf waited for Leon to calm down, and then he took off, into the air, leading the way for his team.

Fox stared levelly at the wall as he heard the door open behind him. "Have they found him yet?"

Slippy frowned but nodded. "General Pepper's got a squadron that just called in and said that they think they spotted him passing by Aquas. They think he's heading for Zoness."

"Will they actually find him?"

Slippy shrugged. "You know Falco. They'll find him if he wants them to." He then stopped, watching Fox. "Are you alright, Fox?"

The vulpine captain just nodded before turning around. "Yeah. It's just... Krystal was telling me about this weird dream she had about Falco... She thinks he might be on drugs or something, Slippy. He's been really depressed. I'm worried about him."

"Falco can take care of himself... And they'll find him. Don't worry."

Wolf glared at his radar, hardly believing what he saw. How could Star Fox follow him all the way out here? It didn't seem plausible. But there it was. Unmistakably, one of Star Fox's Arwings. "Panther, can you tell which one it is?"

Panther shook his head. "Whoever it is hasn't noticed us yet. I think the Arwing's trying to enter Zoness' atmosphere."

Leon just stared at the blinking blue dot on his radar. "I'll take care of it."

_"Are you ready?"_

_"Yeah. I've been waiting... How're we gonna get out?"_

_"Simple. We sneak out at curfew. When the guards are checking the rooms. There'll be less keeping watch."_

_"You sure, Leon?"_

Falco landed the Arwing easily, and he looked around at the small city he'd landed by. He wasn't sure where he was, but that wasn't much of a surprise. There were so many islands on Zoness that it was easy to lose track of them all.

Wherever he was, it was dark. Definitely sometime in the middle of the night. He didn't really care. That made things less complicated.

The city wasn't the liveliest place. Very few streetlights were hanging around, but the neon lights of a nearby building grabbed Falco's attention. He strode into the place and looked around, pulling his jacket around him tighter to keep away the chill in the air.

He took a seat at the bar.

"Can I get you something?" The bartender stared at Falco, but the bird shook his head.

"Nah, I'm waiting on someone." It wasn't true. Or, at least, he hadn't meant for it to be true. But sometimes things are said that are never intended to be true. And then they come true, anyway.

"Hello."

Falco's head snapped around, just in time to see none other than Leon Powalski take the seat next to him.

_'I found a friend, or should I say a foe?'_

"What are you doing so far away from your friends, Falco?"

The avian narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms. "That any of your business?"

The corner of Leon's mouth twisted upward in an amused grin. "I'd like to think so, yes."

Falco just stood still for a moment, staring at the chameleon's deranged smile and trying to decide if Leon truly was insane, like so many people seemed to think. Who just pops up randomly in the strangest of places? "You know, Leon, when I first met you, I thought you were a pompous asshole. Now I've realized... You're just an annoying lunatic."

"Ah, and I always found you to be an irritating half-wit, Falco. But really, I've learned, you're just a brash simpleton."

"Moron."

"Dullard."

"Freak."

"Ribald."

Falco raised an eyebrow. Then he smirked. "Oh yeah? And what exactly does that mean?"

"Ribald. A person who frequently makes use of vulgar and offensive language."

"...Prick."

"Yes, just like that."

"What the hell are you doing here, Leon?"

The lizard clicked his tongue. "Tsk, I believe I was the first to ask a question. Which you skillfully avoided."

"Fine. What am I doing? I'm taking some time off. I was planning on getting some time to think, but I see that's not happening anytime soon, since you dropped in."

"So you don't think when around me?" Leon's skin faded to a paler green, but he smiled. "Well, that explains most of what you say, then. I didn't realize you were intelligent in the prescence of others."

There was a break between their words, then. It wasn't difficult to understand what Leon meant by his voice. There was always a jeering taunt lingering there at the end - but beneath that were the implications... Falco slammed his fist down on the counter, drawing the attention of everyone within twenty feet of him. "Damnit, Leon! What are you playing at?"

Leon, unlike most everyone else in the bar, didn't seem surprised or upset in the slightest about Falco's sudden action. "I wouldn't call it 'playing'."

One of the bartenders approached the two, impatiently. "Hey, you two! You're upsetting the customers, an' if you don' buy something in the next thirty seconds, I'm gonna have to ask you to leave."

Falco stood up instantly, and, without a word, headed out the door. He through the dimly lit streets, looking for no place in particular. Just walking. He was fuming, frustrated. And that feeling only intensified when he realized that Leon was following him. "Why won't you leave me alone?"

"Why do you act like you want me to?"

"It's not acting!"

"You're a horrible liar, Falco."

The blue avian stopped suddenly, turning to face the short reptile. "Would you cut it out?"

Leon's face no longer held that jeering expression, though. "You know, we weren't always enemies..."

_'Said just a few things you should know...'_

"Don't remind me."

The chameleon took a deep breath. "...Why?"

"Oh, I don't know. You're a serial murderer with a bounty on your head. You tell me."

"No, I meant why did you leave?"

Falco's eyelids slid together, covering his tired, blue eyes. "You asked that already."

_'We don't want you to see...'_

"I asked why you left your friends just a while ago. Back then, I'm talking about. Why did you leave me?"

_'We come, and we go...'_

"I don't believe in friendship. Hell, Leon, we were all made to survive. We were made to hunt and kill and use each other. That's what life is." Falco opened his eyes slowly to look at Leon. "If you didn't chase me down here to start a fight, then you're wasting your time. We're not friends. We never were." Leon's color faded until it was almost white. "I needed someone to help me survive on the streets. That's all. I left when I didn't need you."

_'You need me less than I need you...'_

Leon's unblinking eyes stayed on Falco, perfectly still. The words stung, though. And not in a good way... No... Not in a good way at all. "You're lying." Leon's voice was shaking as he spoke, but it was filled with conviction. "I know you're lying."

_'Take it from me... We don't give sympathy.'_

"What does it matter? That was nearly fifteen years ago. I was a kid, for cryin' out loud! We dropped out of school and had nowhere else to go, right? That's all I needed you for. Trust me, Leon. I don't care."

_'You can trust me: trust nobody.'_

"I don't believe you." Leon shook his head. "You might be able to get everyone else to believe it. And you might even believe it yourself. But not me. You can't fool me, Falco. I know you."

"What are you talking about?"

"You didn't leave Corneria back then because you didn't need me. You didn't leave because you didn't care. You left because you were afraid. You were always afraid!"

_"Falco, watch where you're going..."_

_"I don't want to leave, Leon..."_

_"You don't have to. You can stay."_

_"No, I want to. I just... I changed my mind. I don't want to go... My mom's still out there..."_

_"She can't get to you... There's nothing to fear from her..."_

_"But... it's not just her I'm afraid of..."_

"What the hell are you going on about?" Falco glared, ready to fight.

"Why were you afraid of me?"

"I definitely don't remember ever being afraid of _you_. But if I was, then I guess it was because I'm just a pretty good judge of character."

_'But I said, you and me, we don't have honesty...'_

"I still remember. You do, too, don't you? We're both alike. We live in those memories..."

"Living in memories? That's called dementia. You're insane, Leon!"

"We all are. I'm just not afraid to accept it."

_'The things we don't want to speak...'_

It was only then that Falco heard all of the footsteps. Several creatures, heading in their direction.

_'I'll try to get out, but I never will.'_

"Leon Powalski. You are under arrest for treason. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law." There were at least a dozen officers. They all had their eyes on Leon, and it took three of them to handcuff him. Not because he put a struggle. But everyone was simply afraid to touch him. Leon's eyes didn't leave Falco as they dragged the chameleon away.

_'When you're older, you will understand.'_

A single officer approached Falco, then. And told him that he needed to return to Corneria with them. Too tired and confused to argue, for once, Falco just followed the officer.

_'And then again maybe you won't...'_

_'It's true, we are... We are destined to fail...'_


	3. Breaking the Habit

"Breaking the Habit" is a song by Linkin Park. I do not own it in any way.

**Chapter Three: Breaking the Habit**

_'Memories consume...'_

_"Seriously?"_

_"Yeah. This place is like my own personal Hell. I mean, I like flying, but I want to do it on my own terms, ya know? And I sure don't want to get myself killed in some stupid war."_

_"Are you sure? ...Won't we get in trouble...?"_

_"Ha, only if they catch us! Come on, Leon, live a little!"_

_"It's illegal for us to drop now... We just learned how to fly..."_

_"Do you _want_ to fly for the Cornerian air force for the rest of your life? Come on! You're the one always talking about wanting to be different! So, let's be different!"_

_'Like opening the wound...'_

_"But I thought you hated being different..."_

_"You don't, though! Besides, they always treat me like I'm different here, anyway. Tryin' to get me to take different classes, acting like I'm some great pilot. I don't want to be a commander or general, ya know? I want to fit in, but they won't let me."_

_"...sometimes it's not bad to be unique...special..."_

_"What?"_

_"Nothing."_

_'I'm picking me apart again...'_

_"...'The woman has been recognized as Kestrel Lombardi, a widow whose only son was killed in a tragic accident only a few years ago. Her neighbors described her as a strong, quietly grieving woman. Her autopsy is scheduled to begin within the week, while police continue to search the house for any sign of the killer...' "_

_'You all assume I'm safe here in my room...'_

"Falco, I want to talk to you. Will you open the door? Please?"

"No."

"Falco!"

"Fine!" Falco downed the contents of the glass bottle in his hand, before stashing the empty bottle out of sight. He then lazily stood up, dragged himself over to the door, and opened it. "What?"

Krystal's nose wrinkled a bit, and she frowned at him. "You smell like alcohol."

"And you smell like blood."

Krystal's hand immediately went to her bandaged left ear at those words, and she shook her head. She changed the subject, "Fox is worried about you, Falco."

"I'm fine. Trust me, I've been takin' care of myself for about thirteen years, now. And I'm not senile like Peppy just yet."

"You're fine?" It hasn't even been two days since the patrol found you on Zoness with Star Wolf!"

"You act like you don't think I can fend for myself. Besides, it was just Leon."

"Are you trying to kill yourself?"

"What?"

"Are you trying to kill yourself?"

"Where is _that_ coming from?"

"I can feel your thoughts, Falco! You're depressed! And you're confused! And you're..."

"Okay: one, stay out of my head. Two, I've just been thinking about some things! And, three, where are the fox and the hound, anyway?"

Krystal sighed hopelessly. Falco wasn't in a negotiable mood, for sure. "Fox is with Peppy and Slippy, trying to find a way to get in touch with Wolf. General Pepper is with a majority of the other officers of Corneria, at the holding station."

Falco looked at the ceiling, thinking about something. A few moments of silence passed before he asked, "How bad is it?"

"If you cared to watch the news, or at least left your room every once in a while, then perhaps you'd know... Everyone on Corneria wants Leon dead."

"No surprise there."

"He's going on trial in a day or two. Almost immediately. Charged with war crimes, treason, and smuggling. Many want him charged with murder, as well... But they don't have substantial evidence for that. It doesn't matter, either way. They're trying him under penalty of immediate execution." Krystal grimaced at her own sentence.

"They got a lawyer already?"

"He doesn't want one, apparently. And no one thinks he's innocent."

"He's not."

"...He's only been allowed one visitor and one phone call. They were hoping he'd call Wolf, so that they could track down both Wolf and Panther, as well."

"He's not that stupid."

"You're right... He called Fox."

Falco blinked. "What?"

"Fox won't say what he said... But Fox wants to talk to you, Falco."

The avian let out a sigh, leaning against his doorframe. "Great..."

_'Unless I try to start again...'_

"Go find him. I'm going to search your room."

"What? Why?"

"Because if I don't, then Fox and Peppy are going to as soon as they get back. And you and I both know that if they find anything..." She trailed off.

Falco shook his head, but he knew what she meant. And he knew she was right. If Fox didn't stop worrying about him, then Fox was going to end up landing him in jail. "You're gonna lie to him?"

"No. I'm not going to tell him anything. He won't even know I was ever in your room. I'm just going to get rid of whatever you're hiding, Falco. Fox doesn't deserve to have to deal with the stress of finding out that one of his best friends is..." She paused, wrinkling her nose again from the strong odor of stale whiskey coating Falco's feathers. "What do you do, bathe in the stuff?... Fox doesn't need the stress of finding out that his friend is an... alcoholic on drugs..."

"Druggie on alcohol, actually. I drink to distract from the rest of it..." Falco averted his gaze to the wall, before opening his beak reluctantly and giving in, "There's some needle candy in the dresser drawer. The one by the bed. It's morphine. The whiskey's under the bed, behind some boxes."

Krystal's head went blank in an instant. "...Morphine? Isn't that a serious medical drug? How did you even get that?"

"I wasn't always a member of Star Fox."

"Wha-? ...Why, Falco? Do you even know how dangerous that is? Because I don't. But I certainly know that you can't buy _morphine_ in an ordinary pharmacy, and I assume that's for a very good reason..."

"It's supposed to help relieve the pain." The tall avian stood up straight to look down at the vixen. "Life's Hell, Krys..." He pushed past her, stepping out of the doorway, into the hallway. "You wouldn't understand."

"Wouldn't understand?" She was trembling, from fear, from anger... "When I was a child, my parents were killed, Falco!"

He stopped where he was, for only a second. He turned to look over his shoulder at her, but his eyes were dark. "Yeah? When _I_ was a kid, my parents tried to kill _me_."

An empty feeling settled into the pit of Krystal's stomach as she watched Falco disappear down the hallway. Her head was flashing through emotion: anger, betrayal, guilt, heartbreak... Then nothing. Those emotions were what filled Falco's words. And they scared her. But none more than the last: nothing. At least it took effort, strength to deal with pain... But... What kind of an emotion was... nothing?

_'Clutching my cure...'_

_"Leon? Is that you?"_

_"Yes..." It's me..._

_"Whoa - where'd you get the knife?"_

_"I...found it..." Yes, next to her dying body..._

_"O..kay... Ha, you alright, Leon?"_

_"Just lovely..." What beautiful blood she had, Falco..._

_"You sure? You look kinda pale." _

_"Of course I'm sure..." Sure that she paid for what she did... Sure that she won't hurt you again..._

_'I tightly lock the door...'_

_"What the- oh, it's you."_

_"It's me." I think..._

_"You scared me for a second there. Where've you been?"_

_"Around..." It... It wasn't her this time, Falco... He had pretty blood... But he wasn't her... I don't think you even knew him... But... He still bled beautifully..._

_"Love the specificity..."_

_"...Really...?" You... You... do? You... love...?_

_"What?"_

_"Nothing." Of... course not... Do you know what I did? Have they found her yet? Do you know that you're safe? That you don't need to worry about her harming you again? _

_'I try to catch my breath again...'_

_"Leon? Do you know what time it is?"_

_"I'm sorry..." I wanted to show you that you're safe... But I... I was distracted by those others... Three this time... _

_"What happened?" _

_"Nothing." Their blood all looked the same... _

_"Nothing? Really? You've been coming back later and later! What's up with you?"_

_No, no... Not anger... Don't be mad... "Did you know...?"_

_"Know? Know what?"_

_"That you're dead?" That's what everyone says..._

_"What?"_

_"That... no file on Corneria says that you exist?" Nothing but your school papers..._

_"...How do you know that?"_

_"Don't be angry... I only want to know the truth..." ...They were forged, though, weren't they?_

_"The truth? I told you the truth."_

_Not all of it... "You told me that your mother and father tried to strangle you. You told me what you did in self-defense..."_

_"I told you I was eight... God... I wasn't trying... I didn't mean to hurt him..."_

_"You should have. You should have killed him on purpose. If he was going to kill you." What if he had killed you...?_

_"What does it matter? He died, anyway!"_

_"She hurt you, then. You told me you ran away. But you didn't, did you?" Why didn't you hurt her, too?_

_"...No. ...I... I... set the house on fire. Staged my own death. And then left."_

_"You forged your papers..." Don't look away..._

_"So, what are you gonna do, Leon? I'm not eighteen, I'm not legal. Go ahead, turn me in. I don't care! They'll take you, too. For breaking out of the school."_

_"No, I don't want to turn you in... Please, Falco... Look..." I wasn't sure when they found her... So, I didn't know when her murder would be reported... It took me forever to find the paper..._

_"Wh...what is this...?"_

_"She's gone..." Why are you frowning...?_

_"I...don't understand... My mom...?"_

_"...Aren't you happy? She's gone... She can't hurt you..." What's wrong...?_

_"Yeah, I... It's just... I... Now, I'll never get to ask her... Why they wanted me dead so badly in the first place..."_

_'I heard much more than any time before...'_

"Dead by noon, for sure! Judge hates his filthy, slimy guts just as much as any good Cornerian does. The trial will be over before an hour even passes, I'd wager." The prison guard's voice was much louder than necessary. Leon easily heard everything.

Another passing guard replied to the first, "Just think: tomorrow afternoon, Corneria will be a safer place. Betcha the rest of that Star Wolf scum won't dare to cause more trouble after the example we make of their friend."

Leon's expression didn't change. He leaned against the steel wall behind him, both eyes focusing on a single spot on the floor. It was difficult to believe that, within the next forty-eight hours, he would be dead... It seemed surreal. Impossible.

It wasn't the thought of the death that he minded. Just that he knew it wasn't going to be fun. It was no consolation that the stupid government had outlawed cruel and unusual punishment...

Just one shot. The end.

No "happily-ever-after". No "to be continued".

No excitement, no fun. Just death. Followed by happiness from everyone all over Corneria. Everyone.

_'I had no options left again...'_

_"Falco... Do you... trust me?"_

_"No."_

_"Falco... wait... Where are you...?"_

_"Have a nice life, Leon."_

_"Please don't..."_

_'I don't want to be the one the battles always choose...'_

Falco pressed the palms of his hands to his forehead. He was tired. Dead tired. He'd known that the morphine wasn't working all along.

He didn't want to make everything difficult. Krystal, Fox, Peppy, Slippy - the team. They were all fine without him. Why did he always make everything so complicated? Things didn't have to be that way. Plenty of guys led completely normal lives. So, what made him different...?

_' 'Cuz, inside, I realize that I'm the one confused...'_

He shook his head. He needed to find Fox. But he didn't feel like moving. Thinking too much made him more tired. He closed his eyes.

_'It's true, we are... We are destined to fail.'  
_


End file.
